Cobbles will be key to Tour of Flanders win for Pogacar

The 24-year-old two-time Tour de France winner is carving out a reputation as a classics rider, which is relatively rare for a top Tour star.

Having twice won the Tour of Lombardy and also Liege-Bastogne-Liege, the Slovenian narrowly missed out on the 2022 Tour of Flanders title when he was edged out on the home straight by eventual winner Mathieu van der Poel before finishing fourth.

"To win I'll have to be strongest on the climbs," Pogacar said of the 19 cobbled climbs awaiting the riders on the 274km race Sunday.

"But I'm flexible, there's more than one plan. So much can happen in six hours on a route like that."

Sunday's race has been billed as a three-way struggle between Pogacar and the two great classics riders, Van der Poel and Wout Van Aert.

"It would be a mistake to focus on those two," cautioned Pogacar.

"I feel strong and I can win this race if I have a good day."

If he does win he'll join Eddy Merckx and Louison Bobet as a Tour de France and Tour of Flanders winner.

"That is a motivation," said Pogacar. "I love this race, its atmosphere, the astonishing crowds and its extraordinary route."